A Walk on the Beach

10 April 2020 | Anna Maria

Dee

Molly and I are well prepared for dealing with the stay at home orders, since we are used to living together on a 42 foot boat when we have been cruising on Allegria over the past years. Staying here at our house seems luxurious in space and convenience. Plenty of room, fresh water, a pool to jump in to, a grocery store close by and a wonderful beach to walk on. We are fortunate to have access to the beach which has been closed but where residents are allowed to walk.
We usually try to get out and walk a few miles every day as much for our mental health as our physical health. We see our old friends the plovers scurrying about,
the sandpipers pocking about,
the ubiquitous seagulls,
Pelicans flying in formation,
And Molly's favorite, the Royal Terns, with their punk hairdo's.
We get a chance to renew our relationship with the ocean, the wind and the earth.
The tide comes in, the tide goes out
The sun rises, the sun sets
What a wonderful world
Life goes on
It's great to be alive

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Moving Forward two steps and one step back

22 March 2020 | Anna Maria

Dee

Sorry about the length of time since the last post, lots going on. Since the sale of Allegria, I have been somewhat lost, since it's the first time in 38 years I've been without a boat. We've substituted the house for the boat and have been doing multiple projects and are planning a renovation to keep up with the rest of the rental market here in Anna Maria. The character of this place has really changed over the past few years and it now has become an "in" spot with much new construction and renovation of old properties. The amount of work going on is staggering and the nature of the place has changed so much that we are beginning to rethink our long term plans for the place. However we will continue to rent it over the next few years so we are embarking on a plan to upgrade the kitchen, bathrooms and generally give the place a face lift to keep up with the market. So far we have applied stucco to the outside (with painting to follow) and trimmed all the trees and are in the middle of a major landscape project. Coming soon are renovations of the bathrooms and then finally the kitchen.
Another project that is ongoing is the Swedish death cleaning in the shed out back. Those that know me, know what a packrat I am, and in the interest of Lisa's mental health, we have decided to examine everything we squirreled away in there and get rid of anything that doesn't make sense to keep (a lot). With all the random boat equipment and furniture that we are replacing, we have enough for about 6 garage sales. We did sell a bunch of stuff at the JSI (Island Nautical) flea market and had plans to sell more at the Gulfport nautical flea market, but it was cancelled due to the viral pandemic. At some point we'll have a huge sale or give away or both. We also have shipped 2 pallets of stuff to France for the new boat.
We also managed a trip to France to once again enjoy Paris and then Treguier, and also finalize the electrical and electronics for the new boat. I also brought some cables and antennas to be installed before the interior is completed. The boat has a name now, Wings. Here is the name and logo as it will appear on the boat.
Wings has been at the paint shop over the past several months but now is back at the main factory and getting ready for the interior installation. We found out that there have been some delays and so our splash has been pushed back to the end of June, which has crimped our style as to our cruising plans for the summer. (Now the yard is closed due to the virus and all bets are off as to when we may get in the water.)While we were in Paris we managed to sightsee a bit and saw the Musee' deOrsay
, Versaille,Mol in the Hall of Mirrors
and the Palace Gardinier (Opera House which inspired Phantom of the Opera)as well as enjoying wandering the streets and reveling in the sights and sounds and cafes of Paris. We had a great visit to Treguier and the Boreal yard and spent a couple of days with Jean-Francois and Brice ironing out a few last details and specifications.Our B&B in TregueirBreakfast every day
We also took a day to drive over to Mt St. Michele and had a great visit there.
The day was supposed to be filled with rain, but turned out beautiful while we were there and it turned out the first Sunday of the month is a free day, so we visited free of charge. There was a Yellow vest protest going on, and a large police presence, but the French are very civilized even when protesting and so it was a wonderful day. Look for many more pictures in the gallery.
We were very lucky to have been there when we were and to have gotten back when we did, as soon after our return everything went to Hell with the virus. While we were there, we nervously watched the news as the stock market fell apart and caused our net worth to tumble and begin to wonder what has happened to people's common sense.
Since we've been home we have seen the images of people with piles of toilet paper and water in their carts, hoarding all sorts of items, and making things difficult for everybody. We also have seen all the people at the beach, ignoring pleas to avoid close contact with others and thereby avoid spreading the disease. It reminds me that this world is made up of givers and takers, and hopefully the givers remain in the majority. I think after all this is over, a lot of people will be ashamed of themselves. All this has reminded me of a quote that we came across, that I have used in the blog in the past. It is by Ernest Hemingway in a letter he wrote to friends who had lost their son, but seems appropriate for this time as well.
"We must live it, now, a day at a time and be careful not to hurt each other. It seems as though we are on a boat together, a good boat still, that we have made, but that we know now will never reach port. There will be all kinds of weather, good and bad; and especially because we know now that there will be no landfall we must keep the boat up very well and be very good to each other. We are fortunate to have good people on the boat."
Molly and I will be at home hunkering down, fortunate that we have a lot to do to keep us occupied, and waiting for this to pass and looking for rays of sunshine in all the darkness. Be safe, be kind and as generous as possible, be a giver.

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Home Again

24 December 2019 | Anna Maria

Dee

After a few idyllic days of walking the beach and relaxing, not spoiled by the end of the red tide epidemic, we headed out Boca Grande Pass and north to the Venice inlet. The algae in the water had only prevented us from swimming, but the water was a little cold for our thinned out constitutions anyway.
We had heard that work was going on at the Longboat Pass bridge with restricted openings so we elected to come inside at Venice and spend a night or two in Sarasota Bay. We waited out a frontal passage and spent the time starting the process of getting Allegria ready for her transition.
John, who had looked at Allegria in Annapolis, had made an offer and after a little back and forth, we accepted. We came in to the dock at the Seafood Shack in Cortez and began to get Allegria ready in earnest. We reinstalled the AC units and unloaded all our personal gear and cleaned things up in preparation for the survey. The survey went well and we spent a few more days correcting a couple of items noted and then closed the deal with John. This past Saturday we helped deliver Allegria to her new home at Maxima Marina in St. Pete and said good bye.
There's a lot of emotion associated with all this for me, the old saw about the happiest and saddest days of a sailor's life. I certainly have a sense of relief that Allegria has found a new home, since we have a new boat about to be born. I also have some sadness about her and am missing her already. She has taught us many lessons, what true freedom is and the glory of being self sufficient. I think she may have saved my life. Lisa, when she was 4 or 5 years old said to Molly that she wanted to visit Daddy at his house, meaning my office. I was up and gone before she awoke and home again after she was asleep. We were all caught up in the materialistic culture and trying to keep up with the Joneses and both working ourselves to death. I realized that I was missing out on my daughter growing up and so we hatched the idea of going sailing and being together, and that is when Allegria came into our lives.
She helped us learn what was really important in life, and what we really needed to live. She helped Lisa learn that there was more to the world that just her little sphere and brought us all closer together. We reveled in the magic of nature and what an incredible world this is. The feeling associated with moving through the water, propelled by the wind alone and feeing one with the earth and natural forces is indescribable and is very addictive and I can't imagine not feeling the wind and tides and weather.
All this talk of the boat's personality is hard to accept for the uninitiated, but sailors who have stood a night watch alone and had a conversation with their boat will understand. A boat will tell you how she is feeling and what to do to make things better. All you need to do is listen. If you're lucky, she will teach you much more. We will always cherish what she has taught us, and I'm sure she has many more lessons to teach.
At this time of renewal and the birth of a new year, we are excited for the future and what lies ahead, a new boat, new places to visit and new things to learn. We wish all who read this a wonderful Holiday season and the most wonderful things in the New Year.

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Back to Florida

21 November 2019 | Cayo Costa

Dee

We lifted the anchor early, at 4 AM, to head out of Charleston Harbor and fought the last of the flood tide getting out. We were racing a fog bank coming down from the north and managed to get out of the harbor and entrance channel just before it closed in. It seemed to dissipate as we headed south and dawn found us motorsailing down the coast to St Helena Sound in light air. As we entered the sound the tide changed to ebb and we fought it all the way in and up the river almost all the way into Beaufort. See a pattern here? As we turned the corner at Brickyard Point the current changed in our favor for the last few miles and we came down to the entrance to Factory Creek in Beaufort. We were at dead low of an extremely low tide by then and even though Cathy had told us the best way into Factory Creek, try as we might we couldn’t get in without hitting the bottom. We tried several times and had about resigned ourselves to wait for the tide to come up. We called Alan and Cathy to let them know we’d be late and they came out in their small boat to survey the area for us. We followed them in and despite touching once, we pushed through and made it into the channel. Before you know it we were tied up to their dock and enjoying their hospitality. We had loads of fun catching up and did our normal grocery, Walmart, propane runs. They were kind enough to let us stay a few days to catch the next weather window to head south.
There was a cold front due to come through and we planned to ride it all the way to Palm Beach if we could. The day before was in the 80’s and humid, but with the frontal passage, we awoke to temps in the 40’s and a fresh northerly breeze. After a few last good bys, we were off to catch the 9 AM opening of the iconic Beaufort swing bridge. Then it was down the river, again fighting the flood tide, and out Port Royal Sound with a 25 knot wind from the north.
We set the sails wing on wing with the jib poled out to one side and the main prevented out on the other and were off to the races sailing south with the wind vane steering. We had a quick passage and 54 hours later were heading in to Lake Worth Inlet. Allegria was really showing her stuff with that being the fastest passage south we’ve ever made. We headed up to the north end of Lake Worth and to our normal anchoring spot in Old Port Cove. We got the anchor down by mid afternoon and settled in for a nice relaxed visit with Brother Denny and Shannon.
We took the truck over to Anna Maria and picked up the AC units for Allegria, which I had previously removed and brought them back over to get looked at and serviced in preparation for reinstalling, getting ready for Allegria to go to her new owners. We spent several days catching up with those guys and just enjoying their company. Soon it was time to move on and so we were off for a late afternoon start down the lake and out the inlet before dark and riding an easterly south down the coast. We passed Ft Lauderdale overnight and found ourselves off Government cut in Miami at 2:30 AM. We headed past Key Biscayne and into the Hawk Channel and down the keys. As the sun rose we were off Angelfish Creek and we continued down past Rodriguez Key and to the pass at Channel Five and to anchor in the Long Key Bight. There was to be another frontal passage that night and after a good night’s rest, we awoke to a fresh northeasterly breeze. We got a late start, as we only had a 20 hour run up to Ft Myers, our next stop. We motorsailed in the dying breeze across Florida Bay and just south of the Everglades Park Boundary, dodging trap markers. As we cleared Cape Sable and turned to the northwest, the breeze filled in from the northeast and before you know it we were close reaching in 25-30 knots of breeze and Allegria was showing her stuff once again. It’s like she is giving us good memories on these last few sails. We rode that breeze all the way to Ft Myers and came in to pick up a mooring and have a visit with old friends Mark and Karen from Paydirt, the trawler that rescued us down in the Jumentos Cays some years ago and gave us a tow back to Georgetown after we broke a prop shaft. We also had a get together with old cruising friends, Bob, Charlotte , Alan and Cathy, with whom we cruised back in the 90’s. The first time we had all been together since then.
We have since moved up to Cayo Costa and are anchored in our favorite spot, planning to enjoy this place one more time for a few days before we head to the dock in Cortez.

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Heading South

27 October 2019 | Charleston, SC

Dee

We had a good, but quick visit to Molly's mom and were back in Annapolis and to the boat in a matter of 4 days. We dropped the mooring and headed around to NW Annapolis to Weem's Creek and anchored amidst a bunch of other cruisers waiting for the boat show. We had time for a visit with old Whitby friend Ted and cruising friends Russ and Allison. We also had a few people come look at the boat and John, from Tampa, seems interested in maybe taking over the helm of Allegria. He seems a wonderful guy and would be a good steward of our cherished boat.
We had a good time at the boat show and managed to check on all the items on our list for the new boat. Although there were some interesting looking new boats, we didn't have time to look at any, only spending time on equipment this time around.
After the show, we were hot to move on so we were off for a quick sail to Soloman's and then Deltaville, and then Norfolk in 3 quick days of travel. We fueled up in Norfolk and spent the night there and then moved down the Virginia Cut and North River to our normal anchorage at Buck's Island, just north of the Abermarle Sound. During the night we were invaded by blind mosquitos by the millions, who left some sort of green residue all over the boat. Very gross, but the good news is that it washed off readily with the salt water washdown.
We sailed across the Abermarle and up the Alligator River and then across the Alligator Pungo Canal and anchored in Bellhaven after a 50 knot squall pummeled us as a front passed over. The next day we headed on down to Oriental, but the docks were full so we anchored in Adam's Creek for the night. A spot opened up on the dock the next day so we headed back to Oriental and tied up to wait out Tropical Storm Nestor. As it passed by we were very protected and comfortable, even though waves were crashing over the breakwater. While there, we made a trip to the grocery and dined at M&M restaurant, and also ran into Anita and Tom, who we had met there a few years ago. Tom is the dockmaster at Whitaker Creek Marina, and we had a nice visit catching up. Anita dropped off some wonderful soup and coffeecake. We never cease t be amazed at the kindness we find in the folks we meet along the way and it's one of the things that keeps us going.
We were off early the next morning to catch the tide at the Beaufort Inlet and sailed down to Wrightsville Beach. We got in right before dark and anchored up for yet another frontal passage. We sat there for a day or two for groceries and rest. We wanted to get some of the famous Robert's chicken salad, along with a few other odds and ends.
The weather cleared and the wind was right so off we went down the ICW to the Cape Fear River. We hit the tide right and were spit out of the river and headed down to Charleston. After an overnight sail , we pulled into Charleston and anchored off the Coast Guard base and began to sample the pleasures of this delightful place. We've eaten at our favorite places, shrimp and grits at the Fleet's Landing and fried chicken with fried okra and collard greens at Jestine's, and enjoyed going to the farmer's market with Whitby friends, Fred and Ruth Ann. It's a pleasure just to wander the streets and look at the restored homes and courtyards.
There's another front coming by tonight and we plan to head out early in the morning for Beaufort, SC and to visit old cruising friends, Alan and Cathy. Time to get moving again.

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Back to the Chesapeake

28 September 2019 | Annapolis

Dee

We left Port Jeff on a quiet day and motor sailed over to Port Washington, just outside the Throg’s Neck Bridge and the start of the East River. It’s a really nice harbor with good protection and services. The city moorings there used to offer two free nights, but are transitioning away from that. We were told now it’s one night free and starting next year no more free nights. It’s still a good deal at $25 per night for the moorings, which also includes a launch service if you don’t want to fool with the dinghy.
We spent a couple of nights and caught up on shopping and saw a movie. From there we caught a fair tide through the city via the East River, always a thrill and then down New York Harbor and under the Verrazano Narrows Bridge. Then it was a short hop across the outer harbor to Atlantic Highlands, NJ, also a good anchorage and with good services. We spent several days there waiting for weather and finally got a window to head south down the Jersey shore. We managed to find some great eateries and saw another movie. The bagel deli in town was great and we had an excellent burger at Zoe’s. There is also a good grocery and an excellent walkway along the waterfront there to work off all the food. As you walk along you can see the NYC skyline in the distance behind the Verrazano Bridge.
It started out as a light Northeasterly, but eventually filled in and we sailed down passed Atlantic City and dawn saw us off Cape May. We cut the corner and had a fair tide up the Delaware Bay, close reaching in 15-20 knots, and we made record time up the bay on that screaming reach. We were at the C&D Canal at the tide change so we had a good ride through the canal, and then found our favorite anchoring spot at the Bohemia River.
After a quiet night we had a gentle sail down the bay to Annapolis and around to Harness Creek on the south side. We spent a few days there and then it was over to St Michael’s and a visit with Whitby friends, Fred and Ruthann. Then back to Annapolis and up Back Creek and on a mooring. We were scheduled to visit with a broker to talk about listing Allegria for the boat show. After some discussion and thought we decided to hold off on listing her until we get home so we can unload everything and clean her up. It would be very difficult to show her with us living aboard. We have the mooring for a week so we plan to rent a car and go over to Cleveland to visit Molly’s Mom and the return and knock around the bay until the boat show happens. We have a lot of checking to do for equipment for the new boat.
Speaking of the new boat, it is well under way and construction is happening for the decks. We remain excited and are even thinking of another trip over to check the progress of things sometime this winter. I put on of the latest pictures up at the top of this post.
After the boat show we’ll be headed south and hopefully will be back on the west coast of Florida by the first of December.

Dee grew up in central Florida and was sailing if the wind was blowing and skiing if it was flat. During his residency for oral and maxillofacial surgery in Cleveland he met the love of his life, Molly working as a nurse in the E.R. [...]
Molly grew up in Bay Village, Ohio and was introduced to sailing when she and Dee moved back to Florida. They owned several boats starting with a MacGregor 21, Cape Dory 25, Endeavor 32 and now Allegria, a Whitby 42. They have been sailing together on these boats for 30 years.

Dee, Molly and daughter Lisa left Tampa Bay in 1994 and sailed to Trinidad and Venezuela, and then back up the US east coast. Lisa was home schooled and then we returned to Tampa Bay where she skipped 4th grade and moved to 5th. She is now studying for her PhD in Art History at SUNY at Stoney Brook.